Mathers set to reach
career milestone

CASTLEFORD Tigers full-back Richard Mathers (pictured) is set to make his 200th career first-team appearance in Sunday’s home Super League game against his former club Wigan Warriors.

His first taste of first-team action came in 2002 when he was loaned out to Warrington by parent club Leeds. He made seven appearances for the Wolves, before making his Rhinos debut later in the same season.

He then went on to play 95 games for his hometown club between 2002 and 2006. He was full-back in the 2004 Grand Final winning side that defeated Bradford Bulls to end Leeds’ 32 year wait for a league title.

During his time at the Rhinos, Mathers represented England twice, in 2005 against France and New Zealand. He also played for the Super League Under-21s side in 2003, against their National League counterparts.

Mathers signed for the Gold Coast Titans for the 2007 season, but a knee injury restricted him to six appearances and he headed back to Super League to join Wigan for the 2008 season.

He played 25 games for the Warriors, before heading to Warrington early in 2009 as part of the deal that saw Martin Gleeson sign for Wigan.

He played 47 times for the Wolves and won two Challenge Cup Finals during his time at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, playing at full-back in both 2009 against Huddersfield and 2010 against former club Leeds.

Mathers is in his first season with current club Castleford and has made 16 appearances for the Tigers in 2011.